


When This is Blown Over

by Brutal_Harrier



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-29 00:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20073037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brutal_Harrier/pseuds/Brutal_Harrier
Summary: There is always tension in the air the night before a battle, anxious energy and unspoken thoughts settle over the camp like an emotional smog. Two hearts usually in sync fall out of rhythm and darkness fills a friendly gaze.





	When This is Blown Over

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dragonlingdar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonlingdar/gifts).

> Tittle is from Love of my life by Queen.
> 
> Happy Octopath Exchange!

When they first met, A time that felt like ages ago at this point, Erhardt had been very closed off, the combination of his frightening skill and icy personality had kept all of the other knights from even trying to get close to him.

….. Almost all of the other knights at least.

From early on Olberic had felt drawn to the other young man. Being a romanticist at heart he was sure there was some deeper force that had drawn them together. And slowly but surely he’d actually managed to get through Erhardt’s cold exterior.

They’d become fast friends after that, growing closer together and to their fellow knights as well. But even as they grew closer to their other comrades there was still something special between them.

Olberic told Erhardt things he’d never tell anyone else and Erhardt did the same in kind. Their skills in combat which had always stood out amongst their peers, took off at a breakneck pace when they trained together. Their comrades often joked that they came in a set ‘The Twin Blades of Hornburg’ they’d cheered during a not wholly insincere toast.

But even as close as they’d been there were still things about Erhardt Olberic didn’t know. He’d never talk about his past and whenever he so much as alluded to it he’d get this far away look in his eye. 

Olberic could accept that an amount of closed offness was a part of who Erhardt was. But he still desperately wished to know the meaning behind that lost expression Erhardt would get at times.

But somehow something was... off about Erhardt these days.

Olberic couldn’t help but steal furtive glances at the blond swordsman out of the corner of his eye during every lull in activity. Come next morn they would be on a battlefield an amount of nervous energy was to be expected. But something was stirring a heightened feeling of unease in his core.

Though Erhardt was never exactly known for his cool temper and Olberic could admit that he wasn’t either. But the way he snapping at his own allies over minor infractions and the stormy darkness in his eyes gave Olberic the clear feeling that something was wrong.

Perhaps it was the state of the war effort, after all current conditions had been enough to draw the king himself out near the borderlands. Regardless of his own concern it was clear that Erhardt's tense state was getting to the other men which meant someone would come looking for him to resolve the situation soon enough. He resolved to seek out the other man while it was still out of friendly concern and not obligation.

Locating that man was a simple task of finding the tent everyone else was avoiding. Erhardt was holed up in a tent slowly and carefully working a cloth over his blade. Olberic quietly entered the tent and took a seat next to him, picking a spot on the ground to inspect with his gaze.

They sat together silently for a few moments before Erhardt sighed and his cloth stilled. “Did you really come in here to stare at dirt?”

Olberic couldn’t help the upward twitch of his lips. “If i said yes would you believe me?”

Erhardt shook his head fondly. “Coming from you? It’s believable enough.”

“Hey, now!” Olberic put up a token protest and finally met Erhardt’s eyes, there was still tension there but that light he was used to was back in his friends' eyes.

Erhardt held his gaze for a long moment then turned his eyes back to his blade. “Tomorrow's the big day.”

“Indeed it is.” Olberic replied.

They lapsed into silence once more, but it was heavy with unspoken thoughts. There was a buzzing energy in the air, a burning anxiety that flowed back and forth between the two men in an endless feedback loop. The silence stretched on, both unsure how and unwilling to be the first to break it.

“Olberi-”   
  


“Erhar-”   
  


They both started in unison, Olberic let out a few awkward chuckles before differing to Erhardt. “Please, go on.”

“Olberic do you….” There was an uncharacteristic note of uncertainty in Erhardt’s tone. “...Do you ever think about what you’ll do after all this?”

“...After?” Olberic echoed confusedly. “I'm not sure I get your meaning.”

“Surely you don’t intend to fight until the day you die?!”

There was an urgency in his tone now that gave Olberic pause. “I….. I am unsure of what you want me to say.”

Erhardt visibly tensed and brought a hand to his temple. “Olberic…”

“Wait..” Olberic interrupted him. “It’s not as if I go into battle intending to die, but I know I’m a mortal man to sit around and…. Plan my retirement would be a disrespect to the enemies I'll face in the future.”

Erhardt sighed but his posture relaxed slightly. “I figured you’d say something like that.”

“Well I didn’t figure you’d ask.” Olberic turned to look at Erhardt again, his expression was unreadable. “Friend please, tell me what ails you so.”

Erhardt’s expression remained unchanged. “I can’t say.”

“But why?” Olberic could hear the pleading note in his own voice but he was beyond caring about it. “Why can’t you just talk to me?”

“Because there are some things that can’t be explained Olberic.” Erhardt sounded defeated as he spoke.

“Erhardt…..” Olberic tried to swallow down the sting of rejection. “... What if we made a deal?”

Erhardt finally turned to face him again, expression curious. “What kind of deal?”

Olberic began to fiddle with the clasp on one of his bracers in lieu of looking into Erhardt’s eyes as he spoke. “Tomorrow after the fighting’s done, I’ll come up with something I want to do once I retire from knighthood if you’ll tell me what it is that darkens your gaze so.”

It took Erhardt a long time to respond, long enough that Olberic’s thoughts began to race through his head stirring up an uneasy feeling in his gut.

“....Alright.” Erhardt settled an arm over Olberic’s shoulder. “Tomorrow then.”


End file.
